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Patented Mar. 3, 1.891.

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H. S. MAXIM.

AUTOMATIC GUN.

Patented Mar. 3,1891.`

@MA/lf UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

IIIRAM STEVENS MAXIM, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

AUTOMATIC GUN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 447,525, dated March 3, 1891.

Application filed .Tune 10,1890. Serial No. 354,931. (No model.) Patented in England June 1, 1886,N0 7,3541 11 Frame 311118 30, 1887, No. 181,516 in Belgium October 15,1887,N0. 79,005; in Italy November 26, 1887, No. 22,500,'i11 Germany January 20, 1888, No. 41,870, and in Austria-Hungary April 2l, 1888, No. 34,166.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it knownthat I, l-IIRAM S. MAXIM, mechanical engineer, a citizen of the United States, residing at London, England, have iuvented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Guns, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention I have shown and described in the following patents: English Patent No. 7,354, dated June 1,1886; France, No. 181,516, dated June 30, 1887; Belgium, No. 79,005, dated October 15, 1887; Germany, No. 41,870, dated January 20, 1888; Austria-I-Iungary, No. 31,166, dated April 21, 1888, and Italy, No. 22,500, dated November 26, 1887.

This invention relates to that class of guns invented by me and known as automatic guns, in which the operations of ejecting an exploded shell, reloading, and, in fact, all the effects or changes included in the cycle of operation of the gun subsequent to a discharge of the same are performed automatically in one or another way by energy properly stored and applied resulting from such discharge.

In other patents I have shown a variety of ways or devices for utilizing the recoil or the force of the discharge of a given gun for automaticallyeffecting the operation, reloading', and firing, but in all cases the recoil or force of an explosion has been employed not only to reload the barrel in which such discharge has taken place, but also to produce the next discharge in the same barrel, and this statement applies even to those forms of guns which I have shown, in which two or more barrels are associated and mounted in the same frame or support. My present invention, however, is an improvement in this respect. I have devised a multibarrel gunthat is to say, a gun composed of a plurality of barrels and breech mechanisms mounted on or in the same frame or su pport-in which the discharge of one barrel is dependent on and effected by the discharge of another in such'nianner that when one is started in operation or discharged all will be discharged successively so long as a supply of shells or cartridges is furnished to each. When two or more automatic guns are arranged in a common frame or support and constructed so as to operate independently of one another, their discharge will not take place with uniform rapidity by reason of differences in the quality and quantity of the powder contained in the cartridges and various other causes. I therefore make the firing of one gun dependent upon the action of the breech mechanism of another gun-that is to say, I so construct a gun with two or more barrels that the release of the hammer for effecting the discharge of a cartridge in either 0f said barrels will be performed by force created by the explosion of a cartridge in another of the said barrels. For example, the force created by the explosion of a' cartridge in the first barrel will release the hammer 0f the second barrel, the force created by the explosion in the second barrel will release the hammer in the third barrel, and so on, the force created by the explosion in the last barrel releasing the hammer of the first barrel. This principle of operation may be carried out in various ways, and I thus insure a contant or approximately constant and rapid fire.

In the accompanying drawings, in which my improvements are illustrated, Figure 1 is a plan, partly in horizontal section, of a gun embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of a portion of the breech mechanism on an enlarged scale, and Fig. 4f is a longitudinal vertical section of the same.

Referring to the drawings, A is a strong metal fram e, which is provided with trunnions A', and is designed to be supported upon a tripod or other suitable mounting or carriage.

B B are the barrels, which have formed thereon or lirmly attached thereto metal frames B', and which are fitted to slide longitudinally to and fro with the said frames in or between suitable guides formed on or attached to the frame A.

C C are the breech-blocks, which are fitted to slide to and fro in the inner frames B. Each barrel has its breech mechanism arranged to operate independently of that of any of the other barrels. In other words, there are tive automatic guns arranged side by side IOO are similarly constructed, I will hereinafterdescribe one of them. 'The breech-block C has a bar or strut C hinged or pivoted thereto, as at C2. This bar or strut is formed with a shoulder or projection C2, which is adapted to engage with a shoulder B2 on the inner frame B when the breech is closed, and thus lock or secure the breech-block in the said frame and support the said block againstthe force of the explosion of a cartridge in the barrel. Therear end of C4 of this pivoted bar is taper or wedge shaped and is hooked,

as shown. -An arm or projection A2 is formed or fixed on the rear end of the frame A, so]

that when the inner frame B and parts carried thereby have nearly terminated their re- ;coil the under side of the hook C4 of the bar C will strike the arm or projection A2, and the said bar will thus be lifted out of engagement with the shoulder B2. on the frame B.-

` D is a spiral spring, which is arranged within a chamber A3, formed in the frame A. A bar D', Fig. 2, is fitted to slide longitudinally to and fro between suitable guides above the chamber A3, and is provided with an arm D2, which works in the slot A4 in the top of the said chamber. The bar D is also provided with a shoulder or projection D2, with which the breech-block C engages, so that the Vsaid bar is drawn back with the said block. The spring D is thus com pressed by the breechblock in its backward movement, and then reacts to effect the forward movement of the said block.

D4 is a bar which is fitted to slide between guides formed on the frame A, and is connected with the inner frame B', as shown in Fig. 4:. The said will therefore move to and fro with the said frame. The bar D4 extends through the frame A, and can be drawn back with the frame B and barrel B by hand when necessary. The said bar is, moreover, provided with shoulders or projections D6 D7 for the purpose hereinafter specified.

Eis a spiral spring, which is arranged within a tube or chamber A5, attached to the under side of the frame A. This spring is connected at its forward end to the frame A by means of a hook E and at its rear end to a plunger E2, fitted to slide in the said tube or chamber A5. This plunger is connected with the inner frame B by means of a rod E3, coupled to the said plunger and provided with a hook E4, which engages with the said frame B. When the said frame recoils, the spring E is extended. The said spring then reacts tol effect or assist in effecting the return movement of the said frame and parts carried thereby. To prevent or diminish the shock produced by the-recoil of the said frame and parts carried thereby, I provide a spring E5,'which in the latter part of such recoil will be compressed between the plunger E2 and the rear end of the chamber A5. This spring,

moreover, by its reaction assists in effecting the return movement of the barrel B and frame B, while the breech-block is held back,

as he-reinafter set forth, and thus effectuallyinsures the starting of the empty cartridgeshells from the barrel in themanner'hereinafter described. i

The rod E3 is provided with a hook E, and

may be disengagedV from the frame IB and coupled to the rear end of the chamber A5 to permitthe drawing back of the said frame by hand.

I? is a bent lever, which is pivoted at I1" to the frame A, and is formed with, a hook adapted to engage with the hook C4 of the pivoted bar or strut C', for the purpose of holding back the breechblock during the forward or return movement of the barrel and inner frame.

In the to-and-fro movement of the frame B the shoulders or projections D6 D7 on the sliding bar D4 act alternately Kupon the bent lever F to cause its engagement with and disengage it from the said pivoted bar C.

G is the extractor, which is carried by and pivoted to the breech-block C. The extraction of the empty cartridge-shells is effected bythe movingforward of the barrel and inner frame, While the breech-block is held back bythe hooked lever'F-that is to say, the cartridge-shell is held stationary with the breech-block, while the barrel is moved forward, and thus drawn off the said sh ell. The empty shells fall through apertures provided for the purpose in the frames A and B. The extractor is so constructed and arranged that when the frame B and parts carried thereby are in their rearmost position the enlargement G of the said extractor will be in contact with the part A( of the frame A, and the extractor will therebybe held firmly in engagement with the head or [iange of a cartridge-shell while the said shell is being started from the barrel. The said extractor is reduced in thickness at G2 to form a spring which bears upon a shoulder at the rear end of the breech-block. The hooked end of the extractor can therefore be readily moved over the flange of a cartridge in the barrel, and will then be held in engagement therewith by the said spring. f

J is a vertical hopper, feeder, or magazine, which is arranged above the barrel B, with its rear end a short distance in front of the breech end of the barrel when the latter is in tiring position. The lowermost cartridge in the said magazine rests upon the top of the barrel behind a projection BS thereon. When the barrel recoils, the said cartridge is moved backward by the said projection into a chamber A7 in the frame A. To the top of this chamber, within the same are secured springs A8, which press downward upon the cartridge thus introduced into the chamber. When the barrel and inner frame have moved forward and the empty shell has been extracted, the said cartridge is forceddown in front of the breeclrblock by the springs A8 and 'is IOO ITO

supported upon the frame B', so that the said block in its forward movement will push the said cartridge into the barrel.

In accordance with the assumed conditions of my invention a number of guns of this description are mounted side by side in the frame A, and that the discharge of one may be made dependent upon the action of another the following devices are associated and combined with the parts above set forth.

The barrel which is to be first fired is provided with three sears I I IT. Each of the other barrels is provided with two sears I I. Each barrel or gun has a tiring-pin II passing through its breech-block, a hammer Iil,

. pivoted to the frame A, and a mainspring IIS,

which is attached in any convenient manner to the said frame.

The sears I, I', and I7, pivoted upon a pin or rod I2, fixed in the outer frame, are acted upon by springs I3, which tend to hold them in engagement with the bent. H4 of the hammer Il when the hammer is cocked. Each sear I extends downward, and is arranged to be automatically disengaged from the hammer by means of a projection C5 on the corresponding breech-block at the termination of the forward movement of the said block. Each searI is a bent lever, one arm of which extends beneath a trigger-rod I'lfand which is operated as hereinafter set forth.

The hammer is cocked in the recoil of the inner frame B by the aid of a projection C6 upon the breech-block. The said hammer is formed with cams Il", one on each side thereof, so that before it can act upon the firingpin I-I it must depress the pivoted bar C', and thus insure the engagement of the shoulder C3 thereof with the shoulder B2 on the inner frame, and when the said hammer has operated to fire the gun it will prevent the disengagement of the said pivoted bar from the inner frame until the hammer is again cocked. I thus insure the proper closing of the breech before the gun is fired.

Each sear I is arranged to be disengaged through the instrumentality of a projection B'25 on the next succeeding barrel or on the inner frame Bf, formed on or attached to the said barrel.

The trigger-rod I* has fixed thereon a series of cams I8, which are arranged to act upon the sears I', respectively, as hereinafter described. Each oam Isis provided with a tooth I, and has arranged in combination therewith a pawl r, which is coupled to a levert, pivoted at c2 to the frame A, and which is acted upon by a spring fc3, whereby it is caused to engage with the said tooth I. For the sake of clearness in the drawings some of the cams I8 are omitted, only two of the said cams being shown in Figs. 2 and 4.

Considering the mechanism attached to any one of the barrels, as above described, its operation is as follows-that is to say, the parts are shown in Fig. 2 in the positions which they occupy when the firing-pin has been struck by the hammer and the projectile is about to move forward in the barrel. The explosion of the cartridge causes the recoilof the barrel B and theinnerframe B and parts carried thereby. In this recoil the projection B3 pushes the lowermost cartridge in the magazine backward into the chamber A7,the "spring D is compressed, and the spring E is extended, as above described, the hammer is cocked, and is held in its cocked position by the sears. The pivoted bar C then comes in contact with the arm or projection A2 on the frame A, and is thereby disengaged from the shoulder B2 of the frame B'. Moreover, the bar D4 is moved backward untilits projection D7 strikes the lever F and causes the same to engage with the pivoted bar C and hold back the breech-block. In the latter portion of the backward movement of the frame B and parts carried thereby the spring E5 is compressed. By the reaction of the spriingsE E5 considerable force is exerted to move forward the frame B and barrel B, while the breechblock is held back by the hooked lever F.V

The barrel is thus forcibly drawn from the empty cartridge-shell, which is held back by the extractor G. As soon as the barrel is clear of the cartridge-shell the latter drops out of the gun through apertures provided for the purpose in the frames A B', and the cartridge in the chamber A7 is pushed down by the springs A8 into position to be thrust into the barrel. \Vhen the frame B2 has terminated or nearly terminated its forward movement, the shoulder or projection D?" on the sliding bar D4 strikes the lever F and disengages the same from the pivoted bar C. The spring D then reacts and eects the forward or return movement of the breech-block. Then the breech-block has thrust the cartridge into the barrel and closed the breech, the projection C5 on the said block strikes the sear I and disengages it from the hammer. If the sear I is held by the trigger-rod I4 ont of engagement with the hammer, the hammer when released from the sear I, as above described, will immediately act upon the tiring-pin and the gun will continue firing so long as it is supplied with ammunition. then a number of barrels are associated, however, so that the discharge and recoil of one effects the discharge of another, the action will be understood by referring to Fig. 1i, in which the parts are shown in the positions which they occupy when the scar I of the first barrel has been released by the corresponding cam I8, and the said barrel has been thus red and is about to recoil with the breech-block. In the recoil a projection B26 on the barrel strikes the lever U and turns the same upon or about its pivott'2, thereby moving the said lever and the pawl o into the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. et, so that the said pawl is caused by its spring to engage with the tooth I9. In the forward or return movement of the barrel the projection B25 strikes the said lever o and IOO IIO

through the medium of the saidlever and the pawl o partially rotates the trigger-rod I4, thereby moving the cam I8 away from the sear I and permitting the said scar to engage with the hammer, the said hammer having been cocked by the breech-block in its recoil, as hereinbefore described. By the said partial rotation of the trigger-rod the cam I8 of' the next succeeding or second barrelis caused to disengage the corresponding sear I from the hammer, so that the second barrel is fired. The third barrel will be tired in like manner by means of the projection B on the second barrel, the cams I8 being so arranged upon the trigger-rod that in each partial rotation of the said rod one or other of the sears I will be disengaged from the corresponding hammer, and in each complete rotation of the said rod all of the barrels will be fired in succession. The sear I7 is designed to be disengaged from the hammer of the rst barrel ormoved into engagement therewith by hand for the purpose of starting and stopping the firing of, the gun.l By disengaging thesear I7 and continuously rotating the trigger-rod I4 by means of a crank-handle I10 the barrels may be dischargedin rapid Succession by hand; or, if desired, one or more shots may be fired by partially rotating the said rod by hand. This principle of construction and operation may obviously be applied to many other forms of gun than that specifically described herein in illustration ot' theinvention.

What I claim isy l. The combination, with two or more automatic guns, each consisting of a barrel and a breech mechanism therefor adapted to be moved relatively to each other by the force of a discharge in said bar-rel, and a hammer and sears forming apart of each breech mechanism, of a trigger-rod mounted transversely to the barrels and adapted to release all the sears or firing mechanisms successively, and pawls intermediate to the trigger-rod and the movingparts of each gun, whereby the discharge of one gun turns said rod to tire another, as set forth.

2. The combination, with two or more sliding barrel and breech mechanisms, each constituting an automatic gun and mounted in a common frame or support, of a trigger-rod mounted transversely to the same and adapted when turned to discharge the'guns in succession, ratchets on said trigger-rod, and pawls between the same and each barrel and adapted to be operated to turn' the trigger-rod by the recoil of the barrels, asset forth.

3. The combination, with two or more sliding barrels and breech mechanisms, each constituting an automatic gun and mounted in a common frame or support, of a trigger-rod mounted transversely to the same and provided with cams adapted to engage successively with the sears of the several guns when the triggerrod is rotated, ratchets carried by the trigger-rod, and pawls engaging there with and extending into the path of the slid ing barrels or projections thereon, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 22d day of May, 1890.

HIRAM STEVENS MAXIM.-

Witnesses:

DAVID YOUNG, A. E. NIXoN. 

